The Darkening Face of Indonesia\u2019s Democracy<\/p>\n
Pro-democracy activists concerned over centralized leadership style\nresistant to criticism<\/p>\n
More than two decades after Indonesia\u2019s Reformasi movement ushered in\ndemocratic governance, there are mounting indications that this era may\nbe entering a more precarious phase. The warning signs are varied but\nincreasingly difficult to ignore: reports of intimidation and terror\ndirected at activists, legislative initiatives widely seen as\nconstraining press freedom, and, perhaps most strikingly, the\nreactivation of military command structures at the regional level.<\/p>\n
For many observers, these developments evoke the territorial military\ninfluence that defined Indonesia\u2019s authoritarian past, raising urgent\nquestions about whether the country is gradually retreating from the\ndemocratic gains achieved since 1998.<\/p>\n
At the center of this evolving debate stands President Prabowo\nSubianto. Critics have increasingly turned their attention to his\ngoverning style, which, according to Yanuar Nugroho in an article\npublished by Kompas Newspaper, appears to rely more heavily on personal\nloyalty than on deliberative processes grounded in institutional\nreasoning. Such an approach stands in contrast to the technocratic logic\nthat emphasizes cross-institutional coordination, data-driven\ndecision-making, and systemic accountability.<\/p>\n
Pro-democracy activists argue that Prabowo\u2019s leadership has, over\ntime, shown a growing inclination toward military-style approaches that\nrisk undermining democratic norms and civilian protections. This\ntendency, they say, is exacerbated by a centralized leadership style\nthat is resistant to criticism and often dismissive of social realities\non the ground.<\/p>\n
The Return of Territorial Command<\/p>\n
One of the most contentious developments has been the reactivation of\nthe Territorial Staff Chief (Kaster) position within the Indonesian\nmilitary which had been abolished in 2001 by former President\nAbdurrahman Wahid as part of sweeping military reforms. Khairul Fahmi, a\nco-founder of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS),\nnoted that during the New Order era, territorial commands served as\ntactical instruments for maintaining political stability. Security\nfunctions that should have been the domain of the police were instead\ncarried out by the military as part of its dual function (dwifungsi) in\nboth defense and civilian affairs. This trajectory became more\npronounced in March 2025, when the government and Parliament passed\namendments to the Indonesian Armed Forces Law, allowing military\nofficers to occupy a wider range of civilian government positions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe military today carries a kind of historical burden of proof,\u201d\nFahmi said. \u201cIt must demonstrate transparently that the reactivation of\nthe Kaster position is not a return to the old patterns of dual\nfunction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since last year, Prabowo has overseen the establishment of six new\nregional military commands and the activation of 100 of a planned 514\nterritorial development battalions across Indonesia. Additional\nexpansions include 14 naval and three air force regional commands, and\none air operations command. The administration has also formed six\nspecial forces command groups, 20 territorial development brigades, and\nseveral new units within rapid deployment and marine corps\nstructures.<\/p>\n
Terror Against Activists<\/p>\n
The debate over military expansion has taken on a more urgent tone in\nthe wake of a series of attacks targeting activists and public figures\ncritical of the government. Among the most alarming incidents occurred\non the night of March 12, 2026, in Menteng, Jakarta. Two men on a\nmotorcycle threw acid at Andrie Yunus, a 27-year-old deputy coordinator\nof the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS),\nas he was returning home after recording a podcast interview.<\/p>\n
Yunus suffered burns covering 24 percent of his face, chest, and\nhands, and faces the possibility of losing the cornea in his right eye.\nThe video of the attack, widely circulated on the internet and social\nmedia, sparked public outrage and calls for a thorough\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
On March 18, military police arrested four soldiers\u2014a captain, two\nlieutenants, and a sergeant\u2014assigned to the Strategic Intelligence\nAgency (BAIS), in connection with the acid attack on Yunus. However,\ndetails regarding their motives, individual roles, and the full\nchronology of events have yet to be disclosed.<\/p>\n
Yunus had been a vocal critic of the military, particularly in light\nof proposed legal changes expanding its role in civilian affairs. He\nalso contributed to a report examining alleged involvement of BAIS\npersonnel in arson attacks during economic protests in 2025.<\/p>\n
Following the arrests, the head of BAIS, Lt. Gen.\u00a0Yudi Abrimantyo,\nannounced his resignation, citing accountability. Activists, however,\nargue that this step falls short and have called for the suspects to be\ntried in civilian courts, pointing to a long history of impunity for\nmilitary personnel accused of human rights violations. Complicating\nmatters further, police have suggested that more than four individuals\nmay have been involved in the attack. Authorities identified two alleged\nperpetrators with initials BHC and MAK, whose identities differ from\nthose named by the military, raising concerns that not all those\nresponsible have been brought to justice.<\/p>\n
Government officials have sought to frame the incident as the actions\nof individuals rather than a reflection of institutional conduct. Yet\nsome analysts remain skeptical. Muhamad Haripin, a defense and security\nresearcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN),\nquestioned whether the suspects could have acted independently. \u201cThe\nmilitary operates under a strict hierarchical command system,\u201d he said.\n\u201cPersonnel at all levels are bound by orders and institutional\nnorms.\u201d<\/p>\n
During Prabowo\u2019s presidency, similar acts of intimidation have been\nreported against other outspoken figures. These include the delivery<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-darkening-face-of-indonesias-democracy-1774875145", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }